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The San Francisco Giants have seen their share of stars walk away from the game, or reluctantly leave the team thinking they have some more gas left in the tank.It’s always difficult for professionals to know when it’s the right time to walk away, and that is especially true for athletes.However, for one of their past players, it seems like he knows exactly when it’s time for him to retire.Kevin Pillar spoke with Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY about 2024 likely being his last season of Major League Baseball. He talked about wanting to reach the 10-year mark of service time and how it almost didn’t happen for him when he was released by the Chicago White Sox two months before hitting that milestone.Fortunately, he was signed by the Los Angeles Angels and has performed well for them during his 59 games, slashing .281/.347/.490 with seven homers and 30 RBI at the time of writing. That also gave him the opportunity to reach 1,000 career hits, something he accomplished.”I watched some of my good friends and teammates, who were much better players than me, maybe go a year too long. I think it would be kind of cool to go out playing really well, and people being curious to why you don’t want to play anymore, and not that the game kicked you out,” he said.That didn’t seem like it was going to be the case for Pillar.In 2022, he only played four Major League games with the Los Angeles Dodgers after suffering a shoulder fracture. The following season, he appeared in 81 games for the Atlanta Braves but wasn’t blowing anyone away with his .228/.248/.416 slash line.Then, it looked like he hit his low point this year when he went 4-for-25 and was subsequently released by the worst team in baseball.However, the Angels have given him a chance to go out on his terms.”Not everyone really gets that opportunity in this game. I was very close to not getting that opportunity. I don’t know what the future looks like, even in this year, but if I can keep up what I’m doing and having a a very good offensive year, it might be a cool thing to leave people wanting more. It might be cool for people to ask, ‘Why wouldn’t you want to do it anymore?’ as opposed to, you know, fading away,” Pillar added.The Giants were the first team he played for outside of the Toronto Blue Jays who drafted him in the 32nd round of the 2011 MLB draft. He had six solid seasons with them before he was shipped to San Francisco after just five games into his 2019 campaign.With his new team, Pillar became a star.He played in 156 games with the Giants, slashing .264/.293/.442 with 21 homers, 61 extra-base hits, and 87 RBI. He received the Willie Mac Award that is given to the player who is the most inspirational as voted on by fellow players, coaches, trainers, and the fans, and even got an NL MVP vote.Unfortunately, his time with the franchise ended after one season when he wasn’t tendered a contract. He became a journeyman with seven different teams following his stint in San Francisco.As the 35-year-old reflects on his career, he thinks he’s done enough to hang up the cleats.”In my heart, I’m 98% sure,” he told Nightengale.If this is truly his last season, then he’s accomplished more than what most players drafted at his position have ever done.
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